US-based artist and biologist Mary Tsang is currently completing a degree in Media Art and Sciences at MIT Media Lab in the Design Fictions research group and these works form part of her research. She already holds a degree in Biological Sciences and Arts from Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh, where she says she picked up a knack for growing hydroponic kale and building installations inspired by 50s space age aesthetics. In addition to interests in frogs, neotropical rainforests, aliens, and ‘Bokononism’, Mary’s practice is based in the field of civic biosciences – particularly open source organisms and tools, and how to deploy them. Her projects explore the bio-political nature of emerging biotechnologies and discuss their roots in society, transhumanism and the surrounding question of accessibility.

Mary has also participated in a number of interdisciplinary residencies including HackteriaLab2014 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Transcontinental Hiking/Hack in the Panama rainforest, Ars Bioarctica Residency in Finland, Bio-Commons Lab @ Rural Hub Italy, and Sci|Art Nanolab Summer Institute in the United States.